God rested on the seventh day of creating the universe, and if the Almighty took advantage of resting, we should too. Scientists have been researching the benefits of sleep for decades, and although they are still unsure why we sleep, they do understand many of the benefits of this seemingly simple function.

It may seem fairly obvious that sleep offers a “recharge” period, but you may not be aware of the many benefits that adequate sleep provides. Proper sleep plays a critical role in many areas of optimal health including:

• Immune System Function

• Healthy Metabolism

• Memory Function

• Proper Learning

• Promoting Longer Life

These are just a few of the ways that proper sleep can improve your life.

Sleep is one of those aspects of life that we simply take for granted. We say things like, “I’ll get all the sleep I need when I’m dead,” or load up on stimulants to power through a work day. This is not the proper mindset we should have when it comes to getting adequate amounts of sleep for a healthy lifestyle.

You can always tell a person who needs to get some sleep. They’ve got bags under their eyes, they have trouble focusing or staying motivated, and often times they’re irritable. The human body will let us know when it’s time for sleep, and when that happens, we need to listen.

Notice also that we say “adequate” amounts of sleep. Too much sleep has been linked to problems such as:

• Diabetes

• Obesity

• Headaches

Excessive sleeping may also be a sign of depression, and may even be a medical disorder known as hypersomnia.

So how much sleep is enough?

That amount is actually going to vary from person to person, and over the course of their lifetime, however a general rule is 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. This provides an adequate amount of time to go through the proper stages of sleeping (yes, there is a process to sleeping) for optimal benefit.

By combining this third pillar of health with the previous 2 of proper nutrition and exercise, you are well on your way to a happy and healthy lifestyle! Next up, we cover the Fourth Pillar of Health: Stress